After “Titanic,” the former child star became so overwhelmed by fame that she decided to leave the acting business until she was older.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the actress explained: “I was auditioning for movies, but it was a really hard time for me. People were recognizing me on the street all the time; it was really overwhelming and difficult. And people would ask for my autograph, but when you're eight, nine years old, it's just like, ‘Ugh, who are you? I shouldn't talk to strangers!’”
Owen-Sarno’s Instagram account reveals that her child star fame still hasn’t gone away. The actress constantly receives requests for autographed pictures.
On her Instagram, Owens-Sarno also shared an essay she wrote documenting the filming process of “Titanic.” One of the highlights reads: “All of a sudden I heard my mom scream, ‘They put you in the movie.’ I was so excited I felt like flying. It was a miracle. I was so happy.”
In her caption, the 27-year-old inspired her fans by writing: “Sometimes we have hard times, and a lot of the time we may have doubts, but the little kid in us chose the path we were supposed to take. We owe it to the child in us to follow our dreams no matter what. No one can ever tell you you can't, especially yourself."
ALSO ON HUFFPOST:
Child Stars Who Don’t Age
Elijah Wood(01 of13)
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Elijah Wood was acclaimed as a child actor by age nine. He was nominated for several Young Artist Awards in 1991 and starred in films such as “North” (with a young Scarlett Johansson!) and “Flipper.” He then took on a number of gigs in his teens until he landed his most successful role to date – Frodo Baggins in “Lord of the Rings.” He was only 20 years old at the time.Wood is now 34 and is recognized for his role on the TV show “Wilfred.” (credit:IMDB)
Michelle Trachtenberg(02 of13)
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Michelle Trachtenberg’s big break was in the 1996 film “Harriet the Spy.” Watch this video to see what the 29-year-old is up to now. (credit:IMDB/Getty)
Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel(03 of13)
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These two former child stars are known for playing Corey and Topanga on the hit '90s show “Boy Meets World.” Today, Savage and Fishel, both 34, can be seen reprising their roles on “Girl Meets Word,” in which their characters are married with two kids. (credit:IMDB)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt(04 of13)
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Even with his haircut, Joseph Gordon-Levitt hasn’t aged! The “Snowden” actor got his start at age 7 when he appeared in the TV movie “Stranger On My Land” and on the TV show “Family Ties.” He then went on to land a leading role on “3rd Rock From the Sun” at age 15 and the rest was history. (credit:IMDB)
Anna Chlumsky(05 of13)
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No matter how old Anna Chlumsky gets, we’ll always be able to recognize her face. Chlumsky’s first major role was in “My Girl” at age 11. Today, the 34-year-old continues to act and can be seen starring alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the TV show “Veep.” The actress is also married and has a daughter named Penelope. (credit:IMDB)
Raven-Symone(06 of13)
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Raven-Symone was just four years old when she landed her first role on “A Different World.” She then famously starred on “The Cosby Show” before making a name for herself on the Disney Channel in her late teens. Today, Raven is a co-host on “The View.” (credit:Twitter/IMDB)
Frankie Muniz(07 of13)
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Frankie Muniz is known for playing the lead on “Malcolm in the Middle,” but former child star had been acting long before that. At 12 years old, the actor landed roles on TV movies before guest starring on TV shows such as “Spin City” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”Now 30 years old, Muniz only acts on occasion. His latest gig was a role on the TV movie “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!” (credit:Twitter/IMDB)
Michelle Williams(08 of13)
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Before “Dawson’s Creek,” Michelle Williams starred in the classic remake “Lassie.” She was 14 years old at the time. Since then, the 34-year-old has appeared in a number of films, including “Brokeback Mountain,” “Blue Valentine,” and “Oz the Great and Powerful.”Williams is also a mom now. She had her daughter Matilda with the late Heath Ledger. (credit:IMDB)
Mara Wilson(09 of13)
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Mara Wilson got her big break when she starred in “Mrs. Doubtfire” alongside the late Robin Williams in 1993. She was just six years old at the time. Wilson then went on to star in films like “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Matilda” before she quit acting altogether. Wilson is now 28 years old and is a writer. (credit:Twitter)
Thomas Brodie-Sangster(10 of13)
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You probably recognize Thomas Brodie-Sangster from films like “Love Actually” or “Nanny McPhee.” The actor got his acting start at age 11 on two TV movies: “Station Jim” and “The Miracle of Cards.” Brodie-Sangster is now 25 and is famously known for playing Jojen Reed on HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” (credit:Twitter/IMDB)
Madeline Zima(11 of13)
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Madeline Zima’s got her big break on “The Nanny” when she was just eight years old. She then went on to land roles on various TV shows and films, such as “A Cinderella Story,” “Heroes” and “Californication. The 30-year-old actress continues to act today. (credit:IMDB)
Kirsten Dunst(12 of13)
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Impressively, Kirsten Dunst was a child voice actor at the age of seven. She was the voice of the main character in the animated film “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” Dunst then landed a number of acting gigs in her preteens, including a role in “Interview with the Vampire,” “Little Women,” and “Bring It On.” Dunst's most recent role is Peggy in the TV series “Fargo.” (credit:IMDB)
Joshua Jackson(13 of13)
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Before Canadian actor Joshua Jackson got his big break in “Dawson’s Creek,” he played Charlie in “The Mighty Ducks.” He was 14 at the time. Since then, the 37-year-old actor has appeared in multiple TV shows and over 32 films. Jackson’s most recent role is Cole in Showtime’s “The Affair.” (credit:Twitter/IMDB)
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